Four men jailed for terrifying pub raids

FOUR men have been put behind bars for six years for burglaries across the UK, including raids at pubs in Gosberton and Holbeach St Johns.

The men were arrested in May 2010 after teams of detectives investigated 52 burglaries, including 25 in Lincolnshire.

Among raids in our area were attacks on Gosberton’s Duke of York pub, The Plough Inn at Jekils Bank, Holbeach St Johns, and the post office in Billingborough.

At the Duke of York raiders broke through front door locks, attacking gaming and cigarette machines, and brandished knives after forcing their way into the bedroom of landlady Susan Goodenough and her partner Phil Britten.

Police in Cumbria brought the prosecution against the men who were sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary.

“Lincolnshire Police are very satisfied with the successful result, which is thanks to the dedication of detectives across the UK who worked so skilfully to track down the offenders.

“It sends out a clear message to anyone intending to commit crime that we work in close partnership with colleagues from other forces – and with the community – and we will bring offenders to justice.”

As well as Lincolnshire and Cumbria detectives, the case involved police from Dorset, Staffordshire, Merseryside, Cheshire, Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, North Yorkshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

Jones will go to a youth offenders’ institute. He will serve 12 months concurrently for dangerous driving and six months concurrently for driving while disqualified. He was also banned from driving for five years.

The four men will now be subjected to a Proceeds of Crime investigation to identify any criminal assets they may hold.